Chronique:BWU 09/01/2009

Posted by urk at 1/9/2009 5:32 PM PST

Activity in the Apiary[modifier]

Things have returned to normal, eyes are less bleary from the shift in sleep patterns, and what was formerly studio silence over the course of the Holiday break has now been replaced by the frantic buzz of a busy hive. There's a lot of work getting done these days - folks are making up for lost time. Unfortunately, that means that there's also not an awful lot to talk about.

Still, you demand honey. We'll drizzle where we can.

Halo 3: ODST[modifier]

For those looking for hard and fast information, here's the quick hit of stuff we can talk about:

• The Recording light was turned on outside of the Ivory Tower today as the final dialog recording for ODST gets underway.
• The once-discussed Tchou-shader is being beaten into submission by Bertone, Justin and the same-named creator.
• Jay and the audio team cut up and mixed a mountain of audio over the break.
• Spaces with fake names finding resting places.
• Lars is scheming, designing, and implementing things to achieve.

Mark Your Calendars[modifier]

We're still about two months away from the public's first taste of Halo 3's Mythic Map Pack. Halo Wars is set for March 3rd in the U.S. On or around that date, depending on your territory, is when Halo Wars LE purchasers will have access to Assembly, Orbital and Sandbox.

On the Mythic Map Pack front, we don't want to whet your appetite with too many forkfuls of sweet media only to make you sit at the table for nearly a 60-day stretch with only the napkin stuffed into your shirt collar to keep you company. That said, we did release a handful of screenshots showcasing Assembly and Orbital a few weeks back and we've moved them over into the proper gallery space on the Halo 3 Project page in case you missed them.

In the meantime, the pots and pans are clanging away, and there's an aromatic bouquet of flavors coloring the air here at the studio. Soon enough, the meal will be ready to be served, and you'll be too busy romping around in Halo 3's refreshed and reinvigorated multiplayer to recall even the slightest hint of the wait you've been forced to endure. In the meantime, hold tight dear friends.

The End of Year Post-Holiday Holiday Podcast Extravaganza[modifier]

At long last, the final Bungie Podcast of 2008 is ready to fill your ears with the sultry tones of just about everyone at the studio. The cast of characters in this final 2008 offering is almost too long to list. Our tiny recording studio was the site of a near endless game of musical chairs. Click on the link below to have a listen.

Bungie Podcast 010909 1:49:37 (Right Click and Save As)

Subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes

Looking Back[modifier]

It's somewhat old news now, but we'd like to take a few moments to thank you, the fans, for making 2008 an awesome year for Bungie. As announced over at Major Nelson, Halo 3 and Halo 2 both took top honors for the most played titles of the year on their respective platforms. Take a look at the list. You might be shocked at the company we've kept, even a year out from launch for Halo 3.

2008 was a banner year for software sales with plenty of top notch studios offering up some of their best titles to date. We're honored to be counted among them and to be honest, a little bit surprised that we took the top spot. Though Microsoft keeps the actual numbers a closely guarded secret, we're betting the final tally was pretty damn close.

We couldn't have done it without you. Thanks again for an incredible 2008. We've got more in store for you in 2009. Keep those eyes to the skies, Seventh Column, and Stay Tuned. There's more to come.